Police heat on rape accused

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Police are trawling through old records at Karaya police station to find out whether there was any case pending against Shahzada, who was arrested on a rape charge after Mir Amirul Islam, alias Guddu, set himself on fire.

The cops want to ascertain whether Shahzada had got away lightly in other cases because of his alleged closeness with some officers.

Guddu had immolated himself on December 4 to protest the cops’ reluctance to register a rape case against Shahzada and alleged attempts to frame him for pursuing the matter. He died on January 1.

“We decided to go through the general diary and FIR books to find out whether Shahzada was mentioned anywhere as an accused and no action was taken because of his alleged good contacts with officers,” said a detective department officer.

Senior Lalbazar officers said they had “clinching evidence” of favouritism towards Shahzada by a section of Karaya police officers after the rape accusation.

“Joint commissioner (organisation) Tripurari had conducted a probe and submitted a report to the police commissioner in which he clearly mentioned how three policemen were reluctant to register a rape case,” said an officer.